Lynne Baab

Praying about the flow of time: All Hallow’s Eve and All Saints Day

Lynne Baab • Tuesday October 29 2024

I was looking forward to researching this post. I don’t know a lot about the history of All Hallow’s Eve (which has morphed into Halloween) and All Saints Day (November 1). After reading a very long Wikipedia entry and a few other websites, I am more confused than ever. Did these two holidays originate with the Romans? Celts? Germans? Pagans? What a mishmash of traditions formed our current practice of Halloween. I did learn that Halloween is a major revenue source for many businesses—not a topic I would usually write about but perhaps something to pray about!

I do know that Christians have long honored the people they considered to be models of faith. I also know that it honors and pleases God when we spend time remembering the people who have influenced our faith and thank God for them. For the purposes of prayer, let’s consider October 31 to be the eve of an important day, All Saints Day. I remember a Halloween party for families many years ago where guests were encouraged to come as their favorite saint. I remember talking with my kids about what a saint is.

I’ll reflect briefly on the meaning of “saint.” That word is used four times in Acts, 41 times in the Pauline letters, twice in Hebrews, once each in 2 Peter and Jude, and 15 times in Revelation — to refer to Christians. Ordinary, everyday Christians, the community of Jesus-followers, the body of Christ. For All Saints Day, we may want to think about extraordinary Christians who have done extraordinary things. The day is also an invitation to remember the everyday people who loved us and modeled faith for us.

Here’s an All Saints Day prayer from a Roman Catholic website. Notice that “Saints” is capitalized. I suspect the author of this prayer was thinking about extraordinary Christians, and indeed, it is good to thank God for them.

Dear God, thank you for the example of the Saints. I desire to join in their company, worshiping you forever in Heaven. Please help me follow their footsteps, and yours, Jesus Christ. Please help me to conform myself to Your image, seeking Your will in all things, as the Saints did. Please help me to devote myself, and all that I do, to Your glory, and to the service of my neighbors. Amen.

I found another prayer for All Saints Day by M. Jade Kaiser, co-director of the Enfleshed website. I will put the prayer in italics, with comments between some of the lines.

God, you have been with us throughout the ages. In remembrance and gratitude, we name the saints who hungered for righteousness and whose sacrifices contributed to a more just society.

Can you name people you admire for their work for justice and their model of loving service? My mind turns to Christians through the ages who have cared for the poor and marginalized at great cost, people in the Underground Railroad during the Civil War, Mother Teresa, and Christians today who work among the poor in my own country and overseas. I think of the people in my congregation who host a weekly free dinner and others who deliver meals to congregation members in need. Thank you, God, for people who serve in ways I don't seem to be able to do.

In remembrance and gratitude, we name the saints who loved us, nurtured us, embraced us, celebrated us, and supported us. We are because they were.

I invite you to think back on your life and name the people who loved and nurtured you, those who saw you for who you truly are, and those who gave you support in times of transition and challenge.

We also hold in remembrance the ones whose lives were taken by injustice, the ones who were severed from their own sense of belovedness, those who passed on our faith, who gave us art, song, and poetry. We are because they were.

I think of Christians throughout the ages who were imprisoned or died for their faith. I grieve for the cost of their commitment and service, and I thank God for them.

I rejoice as I remember those “who gave us art, song, and poetry”: artists like Rembrandt, who painted scenes from the Bible; artists who capture nature in a way that makes my heart sing; hymn and praise song writers who give me words and music to express praise and thanks; and the many poets who have helped me draw near to God. I invite you to name artists, songwriters, and poets who have shaped your faith.

Like us, we know they were imperfect, too. Life is messy and contradictory, often betraying the very justice and love we seek to embody. And yet, you, O God, promise that our loving labors are never in vain.

Help us to lean on the witness of those who have gone before us, drawing on the love, justice, community and faith that weave us together, generation after generation — past, present, and future.

With gratitude and remembrance we pray. Amen.

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If you’re starting to think about Christmas gifts, I want to recommend my three most recent books plus my most popular book. The first two contain dozens of beautiful watercolor illustrations by my talented husband, Dave. For those of you outside the United States, look for these books at the branch of Amazon closest to you so you will pay less postage.

Friendship, Listening, and Empathy: A Prayer Guide

Draw Near: A Lenten Devotional

Two Hands: Grief and Gratitude in the Christian Life

Sabbath Keeping: Finding Freedom in the Rhythms of Rest, my most popular book, available in paperback, for Kindle and as an audiobook

Next week: Ordinary Time and spiritual practices. Illustration by Dave Baab.

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Lynne M. Baab, Ph.D., is an author and adjunct professor. She has written numerous books, Bible study guides, and articles for magazines and journals. Lynne is passionate about prayer and other ways to draw near to God, and her writing conveys encouragement for readers to be their authentic selves before God. She encourages experimentation and lightness in Christians spiritual practices. Read more »

Lynne is pleased to announce the release of her two 2024 books, both of them illustrated with her talented husband Dave's watercolors. She is thrilled at how good the watercolors look in the printed books, and in the kindle versions, if read on a phone, the watercolors glow. Friendship, Listening and Empathy: A Prayer Guide guides the reader into new ways to pray about the topics in the title. Draw Near: A Lenten Devotional guides the reader to a psalm for each day of Lent and offers insightful reflection/discussion questions that can be used alone or in groups. 

Another recent book is Two Hands: Grief and Gratitude in the Christian  Life, available in paperback, audiobook, and for kindle. Lynne's 2018 book is Nurturing Hope: Christian Pastoral Care for the Twenty-First Century, and her most popular book is Sabbath-Keeping: Finding Freedom in the Rhythms of Rest (now available as an audiobook as well as paperback and kindle). You can see her many other book titles here, along with her Bible study guides.

You can listen to Lynne talk about these topics: empathy, bringing spiritual practices to life. Sabbath keeping for recent grads., and Sabbath keeping for families and children.

Lynne was interviewed for the podcast "As the Crow Flies". The first episode focuses on why listening matters and the second one on listening skills. 

Here are two talks Lynne gave on listening (recorded in audio form on YouTube): Listening for Mission and Ministry and Why Listening Matters for Mission and Ministry.

"Lynne's writing is beautiful. Her tone has such a note of hope and excitement about growth. It is gentle and affirming."
— a reader

"Dear Dr. Baab, You changed my life. It is only through God’s gift of the sabbath that I feel in my heart and soul that God loves me apart from anything I do."
— a reader of Sabbath Keeping